Display sign



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,059

A. BARToLoMuccl DISPLAY SIGN F`i1ed Aug. 12. 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 such members are in display position, such.`

Patented Nev. 22, i927.

Y* nuirnnf STATES TEN-T f OFFICE.

ANTHONY BARToLoMucCI, or PnoaIA HEIGHTS; iLLiNois," g;

, DISPLAY'SIGN. Y

Application niet nagaat ifa-was. smania; 128,761.-

member With preferably 'four `fla'rtfdisplay` Vsurfaces and thereby increase the surface area 4in signs'ofthis character for advertising purposea. thus increasing the display surfaces of such signs.

Ar further object of the invention is tok provide a-novel means forrotating the dis-y play members, of the vcharacter 'herein4 re- Yferredto so that Vwhen the members have their surfaces in display position, they are in superimposed lrelation next adjacent to eachother so as topresent a substantially continuous or unitary surface area throughout to facilitate a displaysign the characters or figures of ywhich may have an overlapping or continuous relation, one .onto the other,

of .each of the adjacent surfaces of saidfdisplay members. Y Y f To the accomplishment of theforegoing objects5 the members are so journaledinthe supporting frameiva-nd the means for rotating the same is so arranged vthat certain of themmembers have imparted thereto, during their rotativey movement, a verticalfmovement whereby to` space suchk members in relationv toteach other to ,permit theml tobe turned on their axes so as topr'esenttheir successive Vdisplay'surfaces 'indisplay relation to eachother; the rotation ofthe alternate; members'being in preferably 'a reverse direction. l Y

ln'the-preferred arrangement of the display members, they rotate on horizontal axes, one of which preferably rotates `in a fixed horizontal plane, Whereas the remaining members rotate on horizontal axes Which are changeable during therotation of the members and When the display surfaces of members assume their initial axial position with the members in approximate juxtaposition so as to present a display surface substantiallyjcontinuous throughout the several members. f y That the invention may be more fully'understood, 'reference is had -to the. accompanying dravvings forminga part of the ypresent description andillustrating preferred em* bodinient'oftheinventiomin-fwhich;

Figure l is a front elevation, vpartly in cross-section showing a display sign embodying my invention', the display ,xxiienibers having certainof their respective display?" su'rfacesqin- ,normal displayposition; and

Ywith an outline for a *casingv ktherefor shawn in .dotted lines y Y Figure 2 is an elevation of thesignflook- N ing atvthe right hand end of Figure 1;V Flgurey 3 is a fragmentary elevation?, partly in cross section of the parts l'shown in Figthe actuating means therefor are inthe position they l'assume 'asY the members are-being l rotated;

'ure 1'except that the display: members` and Figure r4 is an end elevation 'looking in .at the right hand end of Figure 85. andi Figure is a cross section of the display members as they appear in'Figu'reBx- `Like characters oflieferenee denotev corresponding parts throughout the figures.

" Referring to the'k drawingsgthe frame of the sign preferably comprises the spacedlend Astandards, o r supports l secured. in thisrela'- f -tion at' their upper ends by means `of the connecting bar 2 and at or near their-flower ends by the preferably driving zshaft, supplemented'by shafts 4,."51and'6 Whichrcarry the respective display Amembers* '7, f8 and f A9. "These members are shown in .preferablyjhorizontal position rbetween therV standards or supports 1 and in a superimposed relation 'tok each other.; The standardsr or supports. l1 mayhave restmembers l0Y and thesupport;- ing means, the display members and'actuat- 'ing means therefor may bev enclosed in asuit-y ablehousin'g 11 shown in outline in dotted lines and such housing Would have a display opening 12 `which lmay be transparent or otherwise which surrounds 4the immediate area in which the display members would be exposed When'in sign'displayi position;

p The shaft 4 carrying-the member'? isjournaled in thesupports so-vas v,torotatei inqa substantially fixed' horizontal plane. The shaft 5 which carries the member 8 is preferably journaled in slotsl havingfa vertical disposition as the standards or supports 1 and the shaft 6 carrying` the member 9 is likewise journaled in similar slots 14'in the standards" or supports 1. These latter slots are of greater depth than the slots 13 and said shafts and 6 when they are rotated have simultaneously imparted rthereto a vertical movement, which movement changes the horizontal axial position for the purpose of separating and raising the members 8 and 9 in relation to each other and the member 8 in relation to the member 7 so as'to permit the members 8 and 9 to be rotated in relation to each other and the member 8 in relation to the member 7, each of which is rotated in unison with the other. As shown, the members 7 8 and 9 are preferably rectangular in cross-section, thereby providing each lwith four display surfaces and such members when in display position are in superimposed relation, in approximatejuxvtaposition, presenting` a substantially continuous unitary surface throughout which facilitates variable display signs, the characters or figures of which may appear to be continuous by overlapping on the respective display surfaces of adjacent members, when their surfaces are in display position. lWith such a construction and in the provision of an enlarged display surface in members of this character, wherein the changeable surface area is increased, which is made possible by constructing the members of rectangular gformation, their successive display surfaces can only be brought into display position by journaling these members in a manner which will permit certain of them to be raised, whereby to separate them when they are being turned with relation to each other to present successively new display surfaces. 1n other words, thesemembers must be journaled in a manner so that when they are rotated they must be free and unobstructed due to the peculiar character of the.members,which as stat-ed, are rectangular in cross-section and when in display position. have the appearance of resting one upon the other.

' The gearing which I have adopted for rotating the members 7, 8 and9 is duplicated at the opposite ends of th-e sign and is of such a character as will impart rotative movement to each of the shafts 4, 5 and 6 from the driving shaft 3 and it is during such movement that the shafts 5 and 6 are raised intheir bearings whereby to separate the members 8 and 9 from each other and the member 8 from the member 7 `which will permit the members 8 and 9 to berotated in unison with the member 7, and suchgearing is also of such a character that momentarily and at certain periods, being the periods when corresponding surface portions of the members are in display position, the meinbers are at rest, and after such momentary vhaving coacting cam surfaces.

stoppage rotative movement is continued so as at successive intervals changeable display surfaces on the members are successively pre sented. Furthermore, the gearing which I have adopted is somewhat of the Geneva wheel type, the respective inter-related elements comprising pin and slotted wheels While this form of gearing is practical for the'purposes'hereinfintended, itwill appear obvious that oth-er forms of gearing may be substituted. For purposes of expedition and simplicity, l shall describe the gearing lfor corresponding ends at oneend of the shafts 4, 5 and 6 andit will be understood that such gearing is duplicated for the 'respective' shafts at the other end of the sign. Inthis way provision is made-for driving and rotating the respective members" at opposite ends and also for applying'a lifting movement to the opposite endsof the shafts 8 and 9.r To the driving shaft 3 ,is connected a disc wheel having preferably two pins 16 disposed diametrically opposite each other and such disc is provided with duplicate cam surfaces 17. To the shaft 4 is connectedv a disc V18 with preferably four radial slots 19 extending inwardly from the surface ofthe disc and diametrically disposed with .relation to `each other and the surface of this disc between said slots is vdished at 2O with which at intervals coincide and rideon the'fcam surfaces 17 of the disc 15. As the latter rotates, its pins 1G successively enter theA slots 19 of the disc 18 to rotate such disc and the shaft 4; the slots 19 being of-vsuflicient depth that the pins 16 may have a reciprocal movement therein, while at the same' time the disc 18isl rotated. It is when the cam surfaces 17 of the disc 15 are coincident with the dished surfaces 20 of the vdisc 18 that the display members are at momentary rest in display position and such coaction of these elements, as will be understood, prevents accidental dislodgment of the respective display members, which may be caused by wind pressure or otherwise. To the shaft 4 and `in front of the disc 18 is connected adisc v21 which is provided with pins 22 of which there are preferably four arrangeddiametrically in relation to each other and to the disc 21 is connected a smal-ler annular-plate 23.-

'26 as ythey are successively presentedy thereto. To the shaft 5 in front of the disc Q5 is connected a disc 27 similar to the disc 21 Yin that'it is provided with pins 28, pref'- erably four, diametrically disposed in relation-to eachother and 'onthedi'sc 27 is an annular plate 29 similar to the plate k23011 thejdisc '211. yThese pins 28-are adapted to have a-coacting relationwith-seats 3Q, lof

f which there are preferably' four,r arranged iny the periphery of-a I disc- ;31 v`connectedtoa shaft and in the periphery vof, said discbetween-said seats 3M-areA provided dished surfaces 32. In all respects the disc 3l is Vsimi-y lar to the disc 25 on theshaft 5.

In operation the driving shaft 3 is continuously operated from any suitable source of power, not shown, and as this shaft is rotated movement is imparted to thedisc and as its pins 16 enter the slots 19 of the disc 18, rotative movement is imparted to the shaft i which in turn imparts rotative movement to the disc 21 and it, through its pins 22 entering the Vseats 24 in the disc 25 imparts rotative movement therethrough to the shaft 5, which in turn imparts rotative movement to the disc 27 connected thereto, which,

through its pins 28 entering the seats 30 of the disc A31 imparts rotative movement to the shaft 6. The annular plates/23 and 29 on the respective plates 21V and 27 coacting with the dished portions` and 26 of the respeco' tive discs and 31 function as do the cam surfaces 17 and the dished portions 20 of the respective discs l5 and 18' to momentarily hold their respective display members at'rest and against accidental dislodgment.

From the form and arrangement of the gearing, as shown, it will be'apparent that the radial slots 19 in the disc'18 permits the pins 16 on the disc 15 to'enter and leave thel same and accomplish the rotation of the shaft 4 without the displacement of its axis, but that the arrangement of the shallow recesses in the disc 25 and in the disc 31 when the respective pins 22 and 28 coact therewith to impart rotative movement to the respective shafts 5 and 6 necessarily lifts the latter to accomplish the separation of the members 8 and 9 from each other and the member 8 from the member 7 to permit their being rotated in relation to each other. The slots 13 and 14 in thestandards yor supports 1 allow for the vertical movement of the respective shafts 5 and 6 as they are rotated.

What I claim is: 1

1. In n a. sign, a rotatable sign carrier, means to rotate the carrier, a bodily shiftable and rotatable sign carrier disposed adjacent to the first carrier, means carried by the first carrier and operable thereby to bodily shift and rotate the second carrier in one direction, and means onthe'second carrier cooperating with the means on the first carrier whereby shifting and rotation of the second carrier is effected. Y

2. In a sign, a plurality of alined rotatable contacting display members, one of said members having a substantially fixed axis and the other members having axes adapted to -be Ashifted relative to the-first mentioned member-and to each other, means .carriedby the members Y' for effectingk rotation ofthe members inr one direct-ion, rotatable cooper.

ating meansfcarriedl by the memberspforfef- Vfecting lateralfseparation of the;v members to permit*rotationr offthe members in unison, and' means to effect la' y-nrormintalry 'pause'. of the members when corresponding surfaces are in display position. v Y 1 3. In a sign, a plurality of alined rotatablecontacting display members,one of said kmembers having asubstantially v`fixed axis, the other of said members having axes v adapted to'be'shifted relative to the first mentioned member, means carried by the members lfor effecting rotation of 'the members in one direction, means carrled by each rotatable sign carrier ,disposedl adjacent to thefirst carrier,ycam means carried bythe first carrier andfjoperable thereby to bodily shift and rotate the'second mentionedcarrier in one direction, and means on the Vsecond mentioned carrier'cooperating with said cam means lon the first carrier whereby. shifting and rotation of the second carrier is effected. Y j l 5. In a sign, a rotatable sign carrier, means to rotate the carrier, a bodily shiftable and rotatable sign carrier disposed'adjacent. to the first carrier, cam means carriedy by the rst carrier, cam means'carried by the second carrier and cooperating with the cam means of the first carrier to effect bodily shifting of the second carrier, and means carried by the first carrier cooperating with 'the means on the second 'carrier .to effect rotation of the second carrier. l

y6. In a sign, a rotatable sign carrier, means of the members for effecting lateral separato rotate the carrier, a bodily shiftable and i the first carrier, a cam plate carried by the first carrier, a cam plate carried bythe second carrier, studs carried by the cam plate on the first carrier adapted to en age the cam platevon the secondV carrier to e ect bodily shifting of the second carrier, and means Qcarriedby the first carrier cooperating with the means on the second carrier to effect rotationof the second carrier. j Y

7. In a sign', a rotatable sign carrier, means to. rotater the carrier,y a bodily 'shiftable' and-rotatable sign carrier disposed adjacent to the first carrier, a plate carried by the first carrier having a uniform periphery, a plate carried bythe second carrier having diametrically opposed concavities, axially projecting studs carried by the face of the plate on the lirst carrier adjacent its periph- .ery to engage the periphery of the plate carl red by the Second carrier to veffect bodily shifting thereof, the perpheryof the first plate being formed to engage in the concavties of the second plate to permit a momenf tary pause'ofthe carriers When correspond- Y ing surfacesare in display position whereby 10 to present a continuous stationary display area, and means to rotate the rst carrier.

In Witnessk whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this Bday of August,k Y 1926. f l

ANTHONY BARTOLOMUCCI. 

